Connections > Microsoft SQL Server connection properties > Prepare for authentication
  

Prepare for authentication

You can configure Database or Kerberos authentication method to connect to Microsoft SQL Server.
Before you configure the connection properties, you need to keep the authentication details handy based on the authentication type that you want to use. For Kerberos authentication, you need to configure certain prerequisites.

Prepare for Kerberos authentication

You can use Kerberos authentication to connect to Microsoft SQL Server databases by placing the required configuration files on the Secure Agent machine. You can also use Kerberos authentication to connect to SSL-enabled Microsoft SQL Server databases.
When you configure Kerberos authentication to connect to Microsoft SQL Server, consider the following guidelines:

Configuring Kerberos authentication

Before you use Kerberos authentication to connect to Microsoft SQL Server on Linux or Windows, the organization administrator needs to perform the prerequisite tasks.
  1. 1To configure the Java Authentication and Authorization Service configuration file (JAAS), perform the following tasks:
    1. aCreate a JAAS configuration file on the Secure Agent machine.
    2. bAdd the following entries to the JAAS configuration file:
      3. JDBC_DRIVER_01 {
      com.sun.security.auth.module.Krb5LoginModule required useTicketCache=true;
      };
  2. 2To configure the krb5.conf file, perform the following tasks:
    1. aCreate a krb5.conf file on the Secure Agent machine.
    2. bAdd the details of the Key Distribution Center (KDC) and admin server to the krb5.conf file in the following format:
      3. [libdefaults]
      default_realm = <Realm name>
      forwardable = true
      ticket_lifetime = 24h

      [realms]
      <REALM NAME> = {
      kdc = <Location where KDC is installed>
      admin_server = <Location where KDC is installed>
      }
      [domain_realm]
      <domain name or host name> = <Domain name or host name of Kerberos>
      <domain name or host name> = <Domain name or host name of Kerberos>
  3. 3Set the following environment variables on the Secure Agent machine.
    4. For more information about the required environment variables, see Setting environment variables.
  4. 4Restart the Secure Agent.
  5. 5To generate the credential cache file on the Secure Agent machine and use Kerberos authentication to connect to Microsoft SQL Server, perform the following tasks:
    1. aOn the Secure Agent machine, run the following command and specify the Microsoft SQL Server user name and realm name:
      2. Kinit <user name>@<realm_name>
    2. bWhen prompted, enter the password for the Kerberos principal user.

Setting environment variables

To use Kerberos authentication to connect to Microsoft SQL Server, you need to set the required environment variables on the Secure Agent machine.
Set the following environment variables:
After you set the environmental variables, you need to restart the Secure Agent.
Alternatively, you can add the environment variables when you create a Microsoft SQL Server connection.
To add the environment variables when you configure a connection and use Kerberos authentication, you need to add the KRB5_CONFIG, KRB5CCNAME, and JAASCONFIG properties in the Metadata Advanced Connection Properties field in a Microsoft SQL Server connection.
For example, add the properties in the following format:
KRB5_CONFIG=<Absolute path of the Kerberos configuration file>\krb5.conf;KRB5CCNAME=<Absolute path of the credential cache file>/<File name>;JAASCONFIG=<Absolute path of the JAAS config file>\<File name>.conf
Note: Ensure that you separate each key-value pair with a semicolon.